Former USC RB Silas Redd has focus set on April 22 pro day

Silas Redd ran for 376 yards and a touchdown in six games last season.

Kirby Lee/Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

CARSON, Calif — The moment former USC running back Silas Redd realized his senior season would be cut short because of a sprained PCL, he started planning for the future.

Redd, who had fully rehabbed a torn meniscus in his left knee the prior spring, attempted to leap over a Cal defender last November, which caused his knee to get slammed into the turf. That didn’t deter him from finishing off the drive.

“I stayed in the whole drive and ended up scoring on a screen pass,” Redd told FOXSports.com. “I came out and I knew something wasn’t right with my knee. It hurt, but I thought I could just shake it off.”

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The diagnosis was a sprain to the posterior cruciate ligament. With a handful of regular season games remaining, Redd decided to not rush back to action. Instead, he wanted to rehab and prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day.

“It was a mental blow,” Redd said. “I’m not going to lie.”

Since then, Redd has been working extensively at EXOS, an 85-acre complex preparing him for his individual April 22 pro day.

“It’s been about getting the power back in my knee, the leg drive and the explosion,” Redd said. “I felt like I didn’t have that during the year. I feel pretty explosive just making those hard cuts and being able to stop on a dime.”

While he will be joined by his former teammate defensive lineman Morgan Breslin, Redd knows this is his final chance to win over team personnel and scouts. After being invited to the NFL Combine, Redd left Indianapolis feeling like he could’ve have proven more. He ran a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash, which he says didn’t meet his expectations. He’s hoping to shave some time off of his 40 and improve in other things later this month.

“A lot of teams want to see if I’m healthy,” Redd said. “I’m expecting a pretty good turnout as far as NFL teams. Even if only one team shows up that’s enough for me to prove what I can do. I want to put on a show.”

Redd, who transferred from Penn State in 2012 following head coach Joe Paterno’s removal amidst an investigation, notes that he is still close with several of his former teammates. He even texted a handful of them prior to their April 8 pro day. Even though his two years in Los Angeles didn’t live up to the expectations on the field, he is confident that he made the best decision for himself and wouldn’t ever change it.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Redd said. “Things happened the way they happened. Being injury free isn’t guaranteed. I think if I would’ve stayed healthy, things would’ve been different. I’m just grateful that I can recover and make my mark at the next level.”